Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After shooting a 75 and cleaning the wallets of three golf writers, the 82-year-old gladly held court, teeing up his opinions on today's happenings in golf.
On the latest episode of wild child John Daly, a parking-lot scuffle with another player's father after the final round of the World Series of Golf:
``I've been hit into a lot of times, but two or three times, I don't like that. Then, I would have said something to [Daly], too. ... it could hurt you.
``What I'm afraid of with Daly, if this keeps occurring, he's going to be off the PGA and he'll have to go to a foreign market.
``I hope not, because he's good for the game. People like to watch him hit the big ones and whatnot. But here's a guy who all of a sudden came from what you might say is a pauper overnight to a millionaire. And he's having a rough time handling it.''
On the Americans' struggles in recent major tournaments:
``I think the other guys [foreigners] are hungrier. They come over here, boy, and I mean they watch what they eat, they do this and they do that, and then they say, `Those Americans, what in the hell do they know?' ''
On the big money being offered on the PGA Tour these days:
``It's made guys not play to win. All they want to do now is make sure they make a big check. They all want to get $2 million or $3 million stashed away so they don't have to work when they get older. I can't blame 'em for that part.
``God, I'd love to play for this kind of loot. I could handle it. I could handle $2 million or $3 million, you're dadgum right.''
On Nick Price, the native of Zimbabwe who is burning up the tour:
``How long can he stay good with all that tension in his swing?''
On his nephew, J.C. Snead, who can't win on the Senior PGA Tour because he can't putt:
``I don't understand it. He plays over at The Homestead and rarely shoots above 66. He makes a bunch of putts. He says he just gets nervous or uptight or something. I don't know what he can do ... maybe take a drink or something.''
STRONG SENIORS: Last week's VSGA State Senior Amateur championship in Hot Springs was testimony to the stout golf being played by the over-55 set in Southwest Virginia.
Counting Floyd's Reggie Clark and Blacksburg's Chuck Hartman, nine of the 32 players in match play came from the Roanoke area.
Senior division rookies Don Ragland of Vinton and Don Foster of Salem made it to the semifinals, with Foster advancing to the championship match, where he was beaten by Newport News stalwart Moss Beecroft.
``We might be the Geritol Gang, but we've got a bunch of old guys from our area who can flat play,'' Foster said.
Other local golfers who qualified in the low 32 included Gibby Wingfield, Bill Shrader, Ned Baber, Dan Keffer and Arman Fletcher.
SAND BLASTS: Foster, who also was runner-up in the State Senior Stroke Play Championship, has been selected to compete for the Virginias squad in the Virginias-Carolinas team matches Oct.7-9 at The Virginian in Bristol. .. Americans were shut out for the first time in the 1994 men's majors, but there was one positive: Of the 13 players who made the cut in all four majors, Americans Tom Watson (70.38) and Loren Roberts (70.47) led in scoring average. The worst scoring average in '94 majors? Some fellow named Palmer (77.67). ... Only one question about the Solheim Cup, scheduled for Oct.21-23 at The Greenbrier: Isn't it a little risky scheduling a golf tournament in West Virginia in late October? Indeed, sweater sales should be brisk that week at The Greenbrier's pro shop. ... After winning his fifth State Senior Am , Beecroft dedicated the triumph to longtime Hot Springs caddie Connie Carpenter, who recently was diagnosed with cancer. ``This is for him,'' said Beecroft, choking back tears.
by CNB